Effect of two different planting patterns on performance of four maize varieties under rainfed conditions

Variety selection and planting pattern, such as single row (20 × 70 cm) and double row (20 × 35 × 70 cm), affects crops yield. This study aimed to study performance of four maize hybrid varieties grown in two planting patterns under rainfed conditions. The four varieties tested were BISI18 (PT. BISI International), NK212 (PT. Syngenta Indonesia), P21 (PT. Du Pont Indonesia) and DK 771 (Monsanto Indonesia). An experiment was conducted in a rainfed area of Gumantar, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (8.253654 S, 116.285695 E) during the rainy season of 2018/2019. The treatments were arranged factorially using Randomized Block Design with three replications. There were 125 and 150 plants per plot for a single row and a double row planting pattern, consecutively. The results showed that no interaction between planting pattern and variety. No effect of planting pattern on plant height and leaf area at tasseling but the leaf area index (LAI) and light interception were higher in a double row pattern. The tallest crop with the highest leaf area and LAI was performed by DK771 but there was no different recorded in light interception by the crops canopy at tasseling. DK771 produced the longest ear but in term of number of kernels row per ear, BISI18 was the highest. No difference was found in yield of the four varieties and the double row planting pattern produced only 8% higher yield than the single row. All the four tested maize varieties performed well under rainfed conditions.